What do you think?
Rate this book
Shadowchasers #2
Shadow Chase
In a job like this, one mistake can cost you everything.
As a Shadowchaser, Kira Solomon has been trained to serve the Light, dispatch the Fallen, and prevent the spread of chaos. It’s a deadly job, and Kira knows the horror of spilling innocent blood. But now she has a new role, as the Hand of Ma’at, the Egyptian Goddess of Truth and Order, and an assignment that might just redeem her.
A fellow Shadowchaser has gone missing, and so has a unique artifact imbued with astonishing magic. Unless the Vessel of Nun is returned, it will cause destruction beyond anything the modern world has seen. Kira’s got a team at her back, including Khefar, a near-immortal Nubian warrior who’s already died for her once. But as complicated as her feelings for him are, they’re nothing compared to the difficulties of the task she faces. And the only way to defeat the enemy is to trust in a power she can barely control, and put her life—and her soul—on the line.
As a Shadowchaser, Kira Solomon has been trained to serve the Light, dispatch the Fallen, and prevent the spread of chaos. It’s a deadly job, and Kira knows the horror of spilling innocent blood. But now she has a new role, as the Hand of Ma’at, the Egyptian Goddess of Truth and Order, and an assignment that might just redeem her.
A fellow Shadowchaser has gone missing, and so has a unique artifact imbued with astonishing magic. Unless the Vessel of Nun is returned, it will cause destruction beyond anything the modern world has seen. Kira’s got a team at her back, including Khefar, a near-immortal Nubian warrior who’s already died for her once. But as complicated as her feelings for him are, they’re nothing compared to the difficulties of the task she faces. And the only way to defeat the enemy is to trust in a power she can barely control, and put her life—and her soul—on the line.
339 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 8, 2010
24 people are currently reading
510 people want to read
About the author
Seressia Glass
39 books651 followersSeressia Glass is an award-winning author of urban fantasy, contemporary romance and paranormal romance. Her current series include the Shadowchasers urban fantasy series and the Sons of Anubis paranormal romance series.
Seressia lives south of Atlanta with her guitar-wielding husband and two bulldozer cane corsos and a senior poodle. When not working on her next story, Seressia spends her free time watching way too much anime and Kdramas.
Seressia lives south of Atlanta with her guitar-wielding husband and two bulldozer cane corsos and a senior poodle. When not working on her next story, Seressia spends her free time watching way too much anime and Kdramas.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
April 10, 2013
I hate flying. A lot. Though this was a library book, I brought it along on the plane because I thought it would distract me from the thought of a firey crash in a North Dakota cornfield. It turns out, I was both wrong and right; while it did distract me from negative thoughts about flying, part of the reason it worked is that it focused my negative energy on the book.
Glass is still struggling with pacing, and this feels like the process of disembarking a plane: shuffle, shuffle, quick grab carry-on, shuffle, dash up the ramp and hustle over to the gate board to find the transfer. Although the book's description focuses on the plot of recovering an artifact and returning it to it's place of origin, the first quarter to third of the book is cleaning up back-story from the first book as well as some origin story. Upon re-reading, the first 30 pages contribute almost nothing for prior readers, with Kira and Khefar each having small bits of dialogue and then doing lots of thinking in between. As a reader, it just wasn't a pace that felt natural to an urban-fantasy that is supposed to focus on chasing evil. Redundant to those of us that read the first book, and redundant to the storyline, it was a section that should have been cut. While I like thinking characters, this was overbalanced into the 'telling' category of narration.
Action starts to take off in London and moves better from there on out. Just like once you've reached the Badlands in your cross-country flight--you know you're over the first bit and are finally making some headway. From London we head to . As a result, it almost feels like three novellas mashed into a novel. I don't mean to sound like a disgruntled airline passenger, but I'd really prefer my ride a little smoother.
Still, I do like the multi-culti characters and their start at complexity, especially the tumultuous relationship between Kira and her 'mother.' Nansee remains my favorite character, providing the Wise Old Lecherous Man note with aplomb. Near the end, plotting started to feel contrived, as if we were segueing into every flight action movie ever, the one where the elite gang gets together to accomplish some impossible task. Granted, it was more exciting than the Skymall catalog, but I couldn't help thinking it wasn't a far enough step up.
On re-read, several more problems with the writing started to stand out, especially redundancies. Each character continues to be described (past initial introduction) in the same terms. Thus on page 67, when we are meeting Balm, Kira thinks "She wished she could talk to Balm--really talk to Balm as if the head of Gilead truly was her mother, and not the woman who'd become her guardian after her adopted parents dumped her on Gilead's doorstep. She wished she could talk to Balm about the innocent people she'd killed while strung out on Shadow." Never mind that Kira's already had this thought in conversation with her friend Wynne ("Have you forgotten what happened a couple of days ago? I almost killed you and Zoo!") and in conversation with Khefar ("This was all after Kira had been drugged by Shadow and, while out of her mind, killed more than half a dozen innocent people and almost taken out her best friends as well.") Enough, already. Have her think something else, or at least advance beyond repetition.
There's also language redundancy. For instance, in a conversation with Balm, she refers to Kira on every page as "my daughter," "daughter," or "my child." One, it seems inconsistent with the leader of a world-wide organization, as Kira is forever pointing out. Two, it is redundant. Boring! Three, real people don't talk like that unless they have a (pathological) point to make about possession and relationship. Then there's the phrasing seems to come straight from Romance 101: "emotion swirled in her eyes: anger, hurt and abrasive grief."
In retrospect, this is not a book that holds up well. Good for one fast, desperate, distracted read, especially if you don't want to think about turbulence.
Glass is still struggling with pacing, and this feels like the process of disembarking a plane: shuffle, shuffle, quick grab carry-on, shuffle, dash up the ramp and hustle over to the gate board to find the transfer. Although the book's description focuses on the plot of recovering an artifact and returning it to it's place of origin, the first quarter to third of the book is cleaning up back-story from the first book as well as some origin story. Upon re-reading, the first 30 pages contribute almost nothing for prior readers, with Kira and Khefar each having small bits of dialogue and then doing lots of thinking in between. As a reader, it just wasn't a pace that felt natural to an urban-fantasy that is supposed to focus on chasing evil. Redundant to those of us that read the first book, and redundant to the storyline, it was a section that should have been cut. While I like thinking characters, this was overbalanced into the 'telling' category of narration.
Action starts to take off in London and moves better from there on out. Just like once you've reached the Badlands in your cross-country flight--you know you're over the first bit and are finally making some headway. From London we head to . As a result, it almost feels like three novellas mashed into a novel. I don't mean to sound like a disgruntled airline passenger, but I'd really prefer my ride a little smoother.
Still, I do like the multi-culti characters and their start at complexity, especially the tumultuous relationship between Kira and her 'mother.' Nansee remains my favorite character, providing the Wise Old Lecherous Man note with aplomb. Near the end, plotting started to feel contrived, as if we were segueing into every flight action movie ever, the one where the elite gang gets together to accomplish some impossible task. Granted, it was more exciting than the Skymall catalog, but I couldn't help thinking it wasn't a far enough step up.
On re-read, several more problems with the writing started to stand out, especially redundancies. Each character continues to be described (past initial introduction) in the same terms. Thus on page 67, when we are meeting Balm, Kira thinks "She wished she could talk to Balm--really talk to Balm as if the head of Gilead truly was her mother, and not the woman who'd become her guardian after her adopted parents dumped her on Gilead's doorstep. She wished she could talk to Balm about the innocent people she'd killed while strung out on Shadow." Never mind that Kira's already had this thought in conversation with her friend Wynne ("Have you forgotten what happened a couple of days ago? I almost killed you and Zoo!") and in conversation with Khefar ("This was all after Kira had been drugged by Shadow and, while out of her mind, killed more than half a dozen innocent people and almost taken out her best friends as well.") Enough, already. Have her think something else, or at least advance beyond repetition.
There's also language redundancy. For instance, in a conversation with Balm, she refers to Kira on every page as "my daughter," "daughter," or "my child." One, it seems inconsistent with the leader of a world-wide organization, as Kira is forever pointing out. Two, it is redundant. Boring! Three, real people don't talk like that unless they have a (pathological) point to make about possession and relationship. Then there's the phrasing seems to come straight from Romance 101: "emotion swirled in her eyes: anger, hurt and abrasive grief."
In retrospect, this is not a book that holds up well. Good for one fast, desperate, distracted read, especially if you don't want to think about turbulence.
August 31, 2025
Shadow Chase by Seressia Glass
Shadowchasers series #2. Urban fantasy with Egyptian mythology roots and romance. Diverse. Can be read as the beginning of the series since it includes a full recap of the first book.
Kira Solomon is a Shadowchaser. As the Hand of Ma’at, an Egyptian Godess, Kira must find the Vessel of Nun before it destroys the world. Khefar, as a Nubian warrior will protect Kira from magic and powerful enemies. It’s a race to protect the innocent by a team serving the Light.
Kira and Khefar travel from Atlanta to Egypt searching for the artifact while she dream walks to talk with Balm and has long talks with her mother. A lot of world building and recap from the prior book mixed with archeology type adventures, mythology and magic. Some romance that I expect will advance in the next book.
Shadowchasers series #2. Urban fantasy with Egyptian mythology roots and romance. Diverse. Can be read as the beginning of the series since it includes a full recap of the first book.
Kira Solomon is a Shadowchaser. As the Hand of Ma’at, an Egyptian Godess, Kira must find the Vessel of Nun before it destroys the world. Khefar, as a Nubian warrior will protect Kira from magic and powerful enemies. It’s a race to protect the innocent by a team serving the Light.
Kira and Khefar travel from Atlanta to Egypt searching for the artifact while she dream walks to talk with Balm and has long talks with her mother. A lot of world building and recap from the prior book mixed with archeology type adventures, mythology and magic. Some romance that I expect will advance in the next book.
Want to read
May 24, 2016So. The reviews say no. My friends reviews also say no...which puts me in a quandary. I read and loved book #1 but failed to continue (because my friends reviews say no)...but I want to support this author because I feel her entry into UF is needed because of the sheer diversity and...let's just be honest: Most UF does not deviate from the standard...and this one does. That's worth $7.99 right there.
Until I buy a copy this review will stand as a reminder for me to get on with it.
But...in the meantime...
I already own a copy of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.
Until I buy a copy this review will stand as a reminder for me to get on with it.
But...in the meantime...
I already own a copy of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.
February 1, 2023
I loved it. Fast paced Urban Fantasy with a Egyptian mythology storline arc. I love Kira's friends, I love her network of support, and I love her journey of figuring out who and what she is. A hint of romance, that I'm guessing will become something more in the last book of the trilogy. And while this one doesn't end in a cliffhanger ... I'm on the edge of my seat because I know there is a lot they all still have to uncover. Looking forward to what comes next.
November 20, 2021
I enjoyed returning to this series and feel like the author did a good job of giving me essential details from book 1. It may have been a little repetitive for some, but having started the series 2 years ago, the refresh was needed! Kira continues to be an intriguing character and her relationship with Khefar keeps things moving. I enjoy the friendships. We, along with Kira, learn some things that shake stuff up…. Definitely interested on where this series continues to take me!
August 17, 2010
The back cover blurb for Shadow Chase promises an adventure story revolving around the Vessel of Nun, an Egyptian artifact that has gone missing and, unless restored to its proper place, will unleash a worldwide flood.
This storyline, however, doesn’t start until after the 100-page mark (though there is one brief hint that foreshadows part of it), and this is to the detriment of the book. In the early chapters, most of the page time is taken up with introspection, discussions, and arguments about the events that occurred in Shadow Blade and the issues these events raised. The same concerns are raised repeatedly. On the one hand, this could benefit readers who haven’t read Shadow Blade and are starting with this installment. But readers who did read the first book may be impatient for this book’s plot to get rolling.
And once it does get rolling, it’s a great deal of fun. We travel with Kira, Khefar, and friends to London, Cairo, Aswan, and an eerie alternate dimension, and Seressia Glass puts them through the physical and emotional wringer several times. In terms of the adventure aspect, the Egypt sections could have used a little more description to help “transport” the reader there, but nonetheless the story is enjoyable. We also get plenty of development on the romance front. Shadow Chase reminded me a bit of the GRAIL KEEPERS series Evelyn Vaughn wrote for Silhouette Bombshell several years ago, with its combination of archaeology, romance, goddess mysticism, and a strong heroine. If you liked those books, you will probably like the SHADOWCHASERS books too.
Shadow Chase would be a stronger novel if some of the talk and introspection were cut from the early chapters. The plot is a good one, but it takes an unusually long time to get there.
Review originally published at Fantasy Literature
This storyline, however, doesn’t start until after the 100-page mark (though there is one brief hint that foreshadows part of it), and this is to the detriment of the book. In the early chapters, most of the page time is taken up with introspection, discussions, and arguments about the events that occurred in Shadow Blade and the issues these events raised. The same concerns are raised repeatedly. On the one hand, this could benefit readers who haven’t read Shadow Blade and are starting with this installment. But readers who did read the first book may be impatient for this book’s plot to get rolling.
And once it does get rolling, it’s a great deal of fun. We travel with Kira, Khefar, and friends to London, Cairo, Aswan, and an eerie alternate dimension, and Seressia Glass puts them through the physical and emotional wringer several times. In terms of the adventure aspect, the Egypt sections could have used a little more description to help “transport” the reader there, but nonetheless the story is enjoyable. We also get plenty of development on the romance front. Shadow Chase reminded me a bit of the GRAIL KEEPERS series Evelyn Vaughn wrote for Silhouette Bombshell several years ago, with its combination of archaeology, romance, goddess mysticism, and a strong heroine. If you liked those books, you will probably like the SHADOWCHASERS books too.
Shadow Chase would be a stronger novel if some of the talk and introspection were cut from the early chapters. The plot is a good one, but it takes an unusually long time to get there.
Review originally published at Fantasy Literature
June 18, 2012
I do like my reading to be in big slabs of goodness, however, I was away for a long weekend with friends and I could hardly shun them, so I could only read this book with little slabs of okness. Therefore my review will be a bit limited.
Kira Solomon, a Shadowchaser, is given the task of finding the Vessel of Nun, to prevent first Egypt and then the rest of the world from drowning in a great flood, think Noah & his Ark.
The Vessel went missing at the same time as another Shadowchaser, and that is where the hunt starts. Khefar, a near immortal Nubian, has already died for her once and she definitely doesn't want it happening again, whereas Khefar doesn't mind, he will rise again with the sun. Together they face the Fallen, those that serve the dark, including some very nasty demons.
We go on a nice trip from Atlanta to London to Egypt and down the Nile and get served seamlessly with lots of Egyptian mythology along the way.
Not forgetting the Dream walks Kira has talking to Balm, the Head of the Gilead Commission on the Island where she grew up. We also learn Kira's history and exactly who her mother was, and possibly who her father is as well and why there is so much Shadow on her soul.
Looking forward to #3.
Kira Solomon, a Shadowchaser, is given the task of finding the Vessel of Nun, to prevent first Egypt and then the rest of the world from drowning in a great flood, think Noah & his Ark.
The Vessel went missing at the same time as another Shadowchaser, and that is where the hunt starts. Khefar, a near immortal Nubian, has already died for her once and she definitely doesn't want it happening again, whereas Khefar doesn't mind, he will rise again with the sun. Together they face the Fallen, those that serve the dark, including some very nasty demons.
We go on a nice trip from Atlanta to London to Egypt and down the Nile and get served seamlessly with lots of Egyptian mythology along the way.
Not forgetting the Dream walks Kira has talking to Balm, the Head of the Gilead Commission on the Island where she grew up. We also learn Kira's history and exactly who her mother was, and possibly who her father is as well and why there is so much Shadow on her soul.
Looking forward to #3.
August 24, 2012
Like the first novel in this series, Shadow Chase has some very familiar elements for fans of monster-hunter type urban fantasy. What this novel does that it's predecessor did not was expand the scope of the action to far flung places in this world and beyond, delivering the touch of epic that the first installment hinted at.
The story is quick, but not so much that one will get lost. The rules of the setting are revisted, but not overstated. One gets a sense of just how much the characters have on the line and how deeply they feel about their circumstance.
Very much worth reading.
The story is quick, but not so much that one will get lost. The rules of the setting are revisted, but not overstated. One gets a sense of just how much the characters have on the line and how deeply they feel about their circumstance.
Very much worth reading.
October 14, 2019
Originally Reviewed on Bewitching Bibliophile
As with the first book we have well written, well rounded and relatable characters, who we are getting to know even better as the story progresses. Kira in this one truly becomes my favorite character as she struggles with her desire for skin to skin contact; love/affection and yet not really knowing how to handle it when it appears she has it This time though we don't really have a chance to express our emotions because we have so many things that need to be done, going back to London to handle the business of a mentor and making sure that the London office is ready to pick up and handle things without them. However, on the way there Kira learns that the London chaser and his handler are missing and so is a significant artifact.
I really loved that it picked up right after the events of the previous books and gave us a bit more about Kira while advancing her new relationship with her friends, her 'mother/mentor' and the Nubian. Again we get Mr. Nancee who helps to make the story feel lighter than it is when the scenes get a little dark, all while imparting information that we need. Kira finds herself having to set aside her grief to aide a chaser who is really too new to be out on his own and his missing handler, when she realizes just how badly the chaser and his handler have messed up she has to step in to stop the situation from going from a minor hiccup into a major disaster. Now that she's been named the Hand of Ma'at and her powers are growing, Kira has no choice to follow through on what the Goddess has shown her is her new path.
There are so many heart-wrenching moments within his one, as Kira learns more about her new talents, her history, her mentors and about the case she's working her entire idea of who and what she is, is being challenged. She's trying to solve the case, help the chaser, work with the Nubian and fight Shadow. Shadow isn't held back by the qualms that hold Kira up so they decide to go full force at the team, and this is a battle that even though they have been ready for, they still couldn't predict how it would go.
I loved this one so much, while it advanced the overall story of Kira and the Shadow world we still got an awesome case to solve, a chaser to help and an artifact to rescue. I loved the balance that was given to each item, allowing the case to help the overall story while setting up more of the world and the magic system without seeming to dump the information in our hands. This case takes us all over the place with some serious adventures and battles thrown in. While we are advancing the story Kira is getting hit from all sides as they battle to flip her from Light to Shadow heats up.
I loved it so much and finished this one in a day because I needed to know what was happening, why it was happening and just everything I needed to know. This one didn't disappoint the pacing was wonderful, the blend of case and the building of a romance was fantastic and of course, we learned more about Khefar and his mission here. I know this sounds a little silly but I absolutely loved that in this book Kira talks about taking care of her braids, there is a scene with her and Khefar doing each other's hair and I just.... I can't even explain what it means to read that. Just hit me in the feels.
I loved the adventure and the romance, it was so good. Go read it for yourselves!!! Highly recommend.
★★★★★
Series in Order
Shadow Blade (Shadowchase 1)
RECOMMENDATIONS
LA Banks Vampire Huntress Series
LA Banks The Dark Series
Happy Reading my loves,
As with the first book we have well written, well rounded and relatable characters, who we are getting to know even better as the story progresses. Kira in this one truly becomes my favorite character as she struggles with her desire for skin to skin contact; love/affection and yet not really knowing how to handle it when it appears she has it This time though we don't really have a chance to express our emotions because we have so many things that need to be done, going back to London to handle the business of a mentor and making sure that the London office is ready to pick up and handle things without them. However, on the way there Kira learns that the London chaser and his handler are missing and so is a significant artifact.
I really loved that it picked up right after the events of the previous books and gave us a bit more about Kira while advancing her new relationship with her friends, her 'mother/mentor' and the Nubian. Again we get Mr. Nancee who helps to make the story feel lighter than it is when the scenes get a little dark, all while imparting information that we need. Kira finds herself having to set aside her grief to aide a chaser who is really too new to be out on his own and his missing handler, when she realizes just how badly the chaser and his handler have messed up she has to step in to stop the situation from going from a minor hiccup into a major disaster. Now that she's been named the Hand of Ma'at and her powers are growing, Kira has no choice to follow through on what the Goddess has shown her is her new path.
There are so many heart-wrenching moments within his one, as Kira learns more about her new talents, her history, her mentors and about the case she's working her entire idea of who and what she is, is being challenged. She's trying to solve the case, help the chaser, work with the Nubian and fight Shadow. Shadow isn't held back by the qualms that hold Kira up so they decide to go full force at the team, and this is a battle that even though they have been ready for, they still couldn't predict how it would go.
I loved this one so much, while it advanced the overall story of Kira and the Shadow world we still got an awesome case to solve, a chaser to help and an artifact to rescue. I loved the balance that was given to each item, allowing the case to help the overall story while setting up more of the world and the magic system without seeming to dump the information in our hands. This case takes us all over the place with some serious adventures and battles thrown in. While we are advancing the story Kira is getting hit from all sides as they battle to flip her from Light to Shadow heats up.
I loved it so much and finished this one in a day because I needed to know what was happening, why it was happening and just everything I needed to know. This one didn't disappoint the pacing was wonderful, the blend of case and the building of a romance was fantastic and of course, we learned more about Khefar and his mission here. I know this sounds a little silly but I absolutely loved that in this book Kira talks about taking care of her braids, there is a scene with her and Khefar doing each other's hair and I just.... I can't even explain what it means to read that. Just hit me in the feels.
I loved the adventure and the romance, it was so good. Go read it for yourselves!!! Highly recommend.
★★★★★
Series in Order
Shadow Blade (Shadowchase 1)
RECOMMENDATIONS
LA Banks Vampire Huntress Series
LA Banks The Dark Series
Happy Reading my loves,
October 23, 2020
Hi Gemmies, I have a new book review to share with you today. Shadow Chase by Seressia Glass is a contemporary paranormal novel and the second book in the Shadowchasers series. This unique series is based on Egyptian mythology. I really enjoyed the first novel in the series..Shadow Blade, and was hoping i'd love this entry as well. Sadly this one was a little bit of a let down for me. Shadow Chase takes place immediately following the events in Shadow Blade. Although there is action, this was more of a slow burn. The pacing felt a bit disjointed to me. We get long moments of backstory and internal dialogue, then BAM.. full on action. I could have used more action and less internal dialogue.
I loved that most of the characters in Shadow Chase are African American. Each was well thought out and likable. We spend more time with them and learn more about the internal struggles they each deal with (maybe too much time). This is especially true for Kira and Khefar. I have to point out that Kira is not my favorite heroine and I haven't warmed up to her anymore from the first book. At times her reactions come off as bratty to me, and with the stakes as high as they are, there is just no time for that. The world building is expanded in Shadow Chase and our main cast of characters find themselves in London and Egypt to deal with a new threat. Even though I didn't love Shadow Chase as much as Shadow Blade I will continue on with the series!
If you are a fan of the paranormal, magic, goddesses, slow burn action, and fights between good and evil, go read this book. Published by Pocket Books, Shadow Chase is available from all major booksellers. I give Shadow Chase 3 out of 5 gems! Happy Reading.
I loved that most of the characters in Shadow Chase are African American. Each was well thought out and likable. We spend more time with them and learn more about the internal struggles they each deal with (maybe too much time). This is especially true for Kira and Khefar. I have to point out that Kira is not my favorite heroine and I haven't warmed up to her anymore from the first book. At times her reactions come off as bratty to me, and with the stakes as high as they are, there is just no time for that. The world building is expanded in Shadow Chase and our main cast of characters find themselves in London and Egypt to deal with a new threat. Even though I didn't love Shadow Chase as much as Shadow Blade I will continue on with the series!
If you are a fan of the paranormal, magic, goddesses, slow burn action, and fights between good and evil, go read this book. Published by Pocket Books, Shadow Chase is available from all major booksellers. I give Shadow Chase 3 out of 5 gems! Happy Reading.
June 22, 2020
Content warning for the bury your gays trope.
In the previous book, gay and trans folks were kept entirely out of all worldbuilding, all characterization, all language used, in a rather airtight way. This time we get a genderqueer god briefly mentioned, and two minor gay characters... one of whom we meet as a dead body. The other gay character is in the same line of work as the protag but is just jarringly incompetent at his job... levels of incompetence that throw me out of the story several times. It's a really unpleasant set of representation choices.
It's a real shame, because the plot, romance and worldbuilding are all developing, if not in a flawless way, certainly in an intriguing, enjoyable direction. I'd love to be able to focus on that and finish the series. I like the leads enough to want to continue. But I'm not gonna stick around as a reader if I'm being treated as disposable because I'm queer. I could handle not being represented at all, no author is perfect. But this kind of rep is demeaning.
In the previous book, gay and trans folks were kept entirely out of all worldbuilding, all characterization, all language used, in a rather airtight way. This time we get a genderqueer god briefly mentioned, and two minor gay characters... one of whom we meet as a dead body. The other gay character is in the same line of work as the protag but is just jarringly incompetent at his job... levels of incompetence that throw me out of the story several times. It's a really unpleasant set of representation choices.
It's a real shame, because the plot, romance and worldbuilding are all developing, if not in a flawless way, certainly in an intriguing, enjoyable direction. I'd love to be able to focus on that and finish the series. I like the leads enough to want to continue. But I'm not gonna stick around as a reader if I'm being treated as disposable because I'm queer. I could handle not being represented at all, no author is perfect. But this kind of rep is demeaning.
September 22, 2019
There is so much about this book that I want to love; diverse characters, a kick-ass heroine and lots of worldbuilding based on Egyptian mythology. I had to knock stars off because the pacing is wonky and the author spends a lot of time repeating what Kira is thinking and restating facts that readers should have picked up. It's unnecessary to explain how Kira's magic works for the umpteenth time when we're already 3 thirds of the way through the book. It gets repetitive and slows everything down. Which is a shame because when things happen it's decent and if the character moments didn't keep rehashing the same ground it would be a stronger book.
September 7, 2023
Entertaining Read!
Hot Guys; beautiful, yet strong females; a trickster god, who can be helpful at times; nasty bad evil beings; save the world; lots of action; a bit of romance; and discovery of self. What's not to love?
The characters are outstanding, believable, and relatable. Everyone has their problems. The world-building is fantastic, and the plot is engaging.
I highly recommend this book and series. So much that I'm off to read the next book in the series.
Hot Guys; beautiful, yet strong females; a trickster god, who can be helpful at times; nasty bad evil beings; save the world; lots of action; a bit of romance; and discovery of self. What's not to love?
The characters are outstanding, believable, and relatable. Everyone has their problems. The world-building is fantastic, and the plot is engaging.
I highly recommend this book and series. So much that I'm off to read the next book in the series.
November 2, 2018
The first one was good.
This one I didn't finish. I hit a romantic wall and that's just not what I'm after when reading. It seemed to drag on and on and I just decided if there was any more of it...I'd end up hating the book and put it away.
It's too bad, I really liked the intrigue and real world ties to the pantheon that she had going.
This one I didn't finish. I hit a romantic wall and that's just not what I'm after when reading. It seemed to drag on and on and I just decided if there was any more of it...I'd end up hating the book and put it away.
It's too bad, I really liked the intrigue and real world ties to the pantheon that she had going.
July 16, 2020
It takes a talented author to make the second book of a series even better than the first. Seressia Glass is a VERY talented author. This book has all of the action I was expecting plus deepening relationships, interesting twists, and information about Kira's origins that has me salivating to read the next book in the series!
October 4, 2011
Je tiens tout d’abord à remercier les éditions Eclipse pour m’avoir permis de lire ce livre, que j’attendais avec la plus grande impatience, d’autant que les circonstances ont fait que je n’ai pas pu avoir ce livre avant un bon moment. Mais le tout, c’est de l’avoir et surtout de l’avoir lu et grandement apprécié !
Ce tome-ci commence à peine une semaine après le tome précédent, ainsi, l’action commence dès le début, sans jamais s’arrêter. Malgré ce qui s’est passé la semaine précédente (son combat avec l’Ombre, Enig, etc.), Kira doit continuer à aller de l’avant. Elle doit s’occuper des biens de son maître à Londres, mais profitant de ce voyage, sa mère : Baume de Gilead lui confie une mission : à savoir retrouver un Traqueur et son maître disparu. En dehors de ça, Kira est désormais la Main de Ma’at, comme Khefar est celle d’Isis, qui leur confie également une mission, retrouver une coupe. Ensemble, ils devront accomplir leur destin, suite au Jugement dernier effectué en présence des deux déesses égyptiennes. Kira n’est donc pas au bout de ses surprises, car elle doit concilier tout ça, sans compter ses propres sentiments envers Khefar, le mystérieux Nubien.
Je n’en dirai pas plus sur l’histoire, bien que j’en dévoile suffisamment. J’espère en tout cas, que ça puisse vous donner envie parce que sincèrement cette série en vaut la peine. L’intrigue est très intéressante, je me suis vraiment laissée emportée par cette histoire, avec toutes ces créatures de l’Ombre et de la Lumière. C’est un principe simple et évident dans beaucoup de livres (le Bien contre le Mal, c’est vieux comme le monde) néanmoins Seressia Glass a su s’approprier ce principe et en faire quelque chose de vraiment intéressant. Cela va au-delà d’une simple guerre, tout n’est ni blanc, ni noir. Le fait que ce soit écrit à la 3e personne, on peut suivre d’un côté Kira, mais également par moment Khefar, qui a ses propres secrets et mystères que l’on découvre toujours un peu plus. Ici, nos deux protagonistes devront une fois de plus collaborer afin de faire Justice et d’éloigner les Ombres, sauf qu’ils risquent de s’aventurer sur des terrains dangereux qui les emmèneront dans des contrées lointaines.
Ça a été un réel plaisir de retourner dans l’univers de Seressia Glass que j’apprécie énormément. La mythologie égyptienne est vraiment plaisante et bien développée de sorte qu’on en est totalement imprégnée. Je trouve ça originale d’exploiter cette mythologie ici, car il est rare d’en trouver dans l’urban fantasy (du moins l’égyptienne, souvent on fait référence à la religion ou mythologie grecque et romaine) tous comme des personnages comme Kira (c’est une métisse je le rappelle et elle est loin d’être une femme forte et invulnérable, comme on peut le constater avec d’autres héroïnes, même si elle veut nous le faire croire).
Le seul bémol, c’est qu’à certain moment l’action baisse un peu suite à des dialogues et moment de pause (en même temps, il faut bien se reposer avec tout ce qu’on vit aux côtés de Kira et Khefar – on peut dire qu’elle attire les ennuis) mais cela ralentit peut être un peu trop le texte. Et en même temps, l’action pure et dure, est peut-être par moment trop vite expédiée. Néanmoins, j’aime tellement cet univers, les personnages et l’intrigue lancée, que ça ne m’a pas réellement dérangé, surtout que ces moments de pause, ne sont là uniquement pour relancer de plus belle l’action, qui ne cesse de croître jusqu’à la fin, sans nous laisser le temps de respirer.
Ce tome nous en apprend plus également sur Kira, et je dois dire, que j’attendais ces informations avec impatience, tout comme Kira, mais qui finalement nous laisse avec encore plus de questions en tête. Quelque part c’est très frustrant mais de l’autre, l’auteur s’amuse (et torture ?) son lecteur en le faisant attendre. De cette manière, on peut donc parfaitement comprendre Kira, qui comme nous, n’en sait pas plus et apprend les choses sur son passé.
J’aime beaucoup le personnage de Kira, femme forte, dangereuse, et fragile en même temps, qui est en quête de Vérité. Elle aimerait en savoir plus sur son passé, ses origines, mais tout le monde semble liguée contre elle pour l’empêcher de savoir. Et puis, sa relation avec Khefar est telle qu’on adhère totalement (en tout cas, j’apprécie énormément ces deux personnages qui ont des secrets, des non-dits, qui pourront donner dans les tomes à venir, des situations intéressantes). Il ne faut pas non plus oublier Anansi, le demi-dieu qui accompagne sans cesse Khefar, cela donne un nouveau sens à ce récit, une pointe de légèreté dans cette ambiance quelque peu tragique. Quant à Baume, je suis certaine qu’elle a encore des choses à nous révéler, beaucoup de choses, mai il est certain que sa relation avec « sa fille » est des plus compliquées et j’ai bien hâte de voir ce que peut donner la suite.
En bref, cette série m’a vraiment conquise, même s’il y a quelques petits défauts, ça ne m’a absolument pas dérangé parce que l’histoire est vraiment intéressante et bien menée. L’univers est intéressant, les personnages attachants et sympathiques, (bien qu’énervant pour certains…). Je ne peux que la conseiller pour tous ceux qui aiment l’urban fantasy, avec son lot d’action et de problèmes en tout genre.
Ce tome-ci commence à peine une semaine après le tome précédent, ainsi, l’action commence dès le début, sans jamais s’arrêter. Malgré ce qui s’est passé la semaine précédente (son combat avec l’Ombre, Enig, etc.), Kira doit continuer à aller de l’avant. Elle doit s’occuper des biens de son maître à Londres, mais profitant de ce voyage, sa mère : Baume de Gilead lui confie une mission : à savoir retrouver un Traqueur et son maître disparu. En dehors de ça, Kira est désormais la Main de Ma’at, comme Khefar est celle d’Isis, qui leur confie également une mission, retrouver une coupe. Ensemble, ils devront accomplir leur destin, suite au Jugement dernier effectué en présence des deux déesses égyptiennes. Kira n’est donc pas au bout de ses surprises, car elle doit concilier tout ça, sans compter ses propres sentiments envers Khefar, le mystérieux Nubien.
Je n’en dirai pas plus sur l’histoire, bien que j’en dévoile suffisamment. J’espère en tout cas, que ça puisse vous donner envie parce que sincèrement cette série en vaut la peine. L’intrigue est très intéressante, je me suis vraiment laissée emportée par cette histoire, avec toutes ces créatures de l’Ombre et de la Lumière. C’est un principe simple et évident dans beaucoup de livres (le Bien contre le Mal, c’est vieux comme le monde) néanmoins Seressia Glass a su s’approprier ce principe et en faire quelque chose de vraiment intéressant. Cela va au-delà d’une simple guerre, tout n’est ni blanc, ni noir. Le fait que ce soit écrit à la 3e personne, on peut suivre d’un côté Kira, mais également par moment Khefar, qui a ses propres secrets et mystères que l’on découvre toujours un peu plus. Ici, nos deux protagonistes devront une fois de plus collaborer afin de faire Justice et d’éloigner les Ombres, sauf qu’ils risquent de s’aventurer sur des terrains dangereux qui les emmèneront dans des contrées lointaines.
Ça a été un réel plaisir de retourner dans l’univers de Seressia Glass que j’apprécie énormément. La mythologie égyptienne est vraiment plaisante et bien développée de sorte qu’on en est totalement imprégnée. Je trouve ça originale d’exploiter cette mythologie ici, car il est rare d’en trouver dans l’urban fantasy (du moins l’égyptienne, souvent on fait référence à la religion ou mythologie grecque et romaine) tous comme des personnages comme Kira (c’est une métisse je le rappelle et elle est loin d’être une femme forte et invulnérable, comme on peut le constater avec d’autres héroïnes, même si elle veut nous le faire croire).
Le seul bémol, c’est qu’à certain moment l’action baisse un peu suite à des dialogues et moment de pause (en même temps, il faut bien se reposer avec tout ce qu’on vit aux côtés de Kira et Khefar – on peut dire qu’elle attire les ennuis) mais cela ralentit peut être un peu trop le texte. Et en même temps, l’action pure et dure, est peut-être par moment trop vite expédiée. Néanmoins, j’aime tellement cet univers, les personnages et l’intrigue lancée, que ça ne m’a pas réellement dérangé, surtout que ces moments de pause, ne sont là uniquement pour relancer de plus belle l’action, qui ne cesse de croître jusqu’à la fin, sans nous laisser le temps de respirer.
Ce tome nous en apprend plus également sur Kira, et je dois dire, que j’attendais ces informations avec impatience, tout comme Kira, mais qui finalement nous laisse avec encore plus de questions en tête. Quelque part c’est très frustrant mais de l’autre, l’auteur s’amuse (et torture ?) son lecteur en le faisant attendre. De cette manière, on peut donc parfaitement comprendre Kira, qui comme nous, n’en sait pas plus et apprend les choses sur son passé.
J’aime beaucoup le personnage de Kira, femme forte, dangereuse, et fragile en même temps, qui est en quête de Vérité. Elle aimerait en savoir plus sur son passé, ses origines, mais tout le monde semble liguée contre elle pour l’empêcher de savoir. Et puis, sa relation avec Khefar est telle qu’on adhère totalement (en tout cas, j’apprécie énormément ces deux personnages qui ont des secrets, des non-dits, qui pourront donner dans les tomes à venir, des situations intéressantes). Il ne faut pas non plus oublier Anansi, le demi-dieu qui accompagne sans cesse Khefar, cela donne un nouveau sens à ce récit, une pointe de légèreté dans cette ambiance quelque peu tragique. Quant à Baume, je suis certaine qu’elle a encore des choses à nous révéler, beaucoup de choses, mai il est certain que sa relation avec « sa fille » est des plus compliquées et j’ai bien hâte de voir ce que peut donner la suite.
En bref, cette série m’a vraiment conquise, même s’il y a quelques petits défauts, ça ne m’a absolument pas dérangé parce que l’histoire est vraiment intéressante et bien menée. L’univers est intéressant, les personnages attachants et sympathiques, (bien qu’énervant pour certains…). Je ne peux que la conseiller pour tous ceux qui aiment l’urban fantasy, avec son lot d’action et de problèmes en tout genre.
January 25, 2022
interesting
I like this world with its references to ancient Egypt and ancient gods. Kira has assembled an official motley crew by the end of the book. I’m not sure she is growing but I remain invested.
I like this world with its references to ancient Egypt and ancient gods. Kira has assembled an official motley crew by the end of the book. I’m not sure she is growing but I remain invested.
August 15, 2019
This was good. Will continue the series.
August 17, 2021
I LOVED IT!!!!
October 21, 2021
3.5. Wish it was longer... maybe? Feel like the climax & conclusion were rushed & there was ALOT left undone & unanswered... on to book 3 I guess.
February 3, 2022
The ending was oddly anticlimactic, but not in a bad way somehow.
May 7, 2012
Kira and Khefar are back in this second instalment to the Shadowchaser series. It picks immediately at the point where we left off in the last book; at the dinner celebrating Kira and Khefar's revival and new goddess-blessed statuses.
I was looking forward to hopefully getting to know both of the main characters more this time around and also trying to form more of a connection to them since that was slightly lacking in book one. I'd initially put that down to "book one syndrome" because of all the world-building that had to be done etc, etc. But now I'm thinking there may have been more to it than that because at the end of this book, I still find it quite hard to muster up much excitement for either of them in the same way I have with other characters in the past. And the excuse of it being the first book in the series, which will sometimes allow me to give it a free pass to fail in certain areas, no longer cuts the mustard.
It's a shame to have to say that because I really want to like this series. And it should, by rights, be very good. All the possibilities for exciting plots are there within the Egyptian mythology base. Unfortunately, there's just something about it that's leaving me cold.
I was also a little disappointed with the slow start. It took almost to exactly the midway point in the novel for Kira and Khefar's mission to become completely clear, for the book to give me that hook. I think the goal for the storyline should have been established much earlier on than this. I don't like words with no purpose. Get to the point.
Also, the fade-to-black sex scene was a little disappointing since the main bit of interest with regards to Kira as a main character is her inability to touch anyone. Ever. She literally has to go around with gloves taped to her wrists. So to then have Kira find the only person she can touch, having sex with him would surely be quite a monumental occasion for her, and yet it was skipped over with the barest of detail.
And, no, that's not me grumbling because there was no smut in the book. There was none in book one either but there didn't need to be because it wasn't time. Here, it was time, and it should have been part of the book.
The second half of the book was much, much better it has to be said, but by this point I think I'd already made the decision to see the book out to the end then stop reading the series. At this moment I don't see myself picking up the next one, the interest in the characters just isn't there.
3 Stars ★★★
I was looking forward to hopefully getting to know both of the main characters more this time around and also trying to form more of a connection to them since that was slightly lacking in book one. I'd initially put that down to "book one syndrome" because of all the world-building that had to be done etc, etc. But now I'm thinking there may have been more to it than that because at the end of this book, I still find it quite hard to muster up much excitement for either of them in the same way I have with other characters in the past. And the excuse of it being the first book in the series, which will sometimes allow me to give it a free pass to fail in certain areas, no longer cuts the mustard.
It's a shame to have to say that because I really want to like this series. And it should, by rights, be very good. All the possibilities for exciting plots are there within the Egyptian mythology base. Unfortunately, there's just something about it that's leaving me cold.
I was also a little disappointed with the slow start. It took almost to exactly the midway point in the novel for Kira and Khefar's mission to become completely clear, for the book to give me that hook. I think the goal for the storyline should have been established much earlier on than this. I don't like words with no purpose. Get to the point.
Also, the fade-to-black sex scene was a little disappointing since the main bit of interest with regards to Kira as a main character is her inability to touch anyone. Ever. She literally has to go around with gloves taped to her wrists. So to then have Kira find the only person she can touch, having sex with him would surely be quite a monumental occasion for her, and yet it was skipped over with the barest of detail.
And, no, that's not me grumbling because there was no smut in the book. There was none in book one either but there didn't need to be because it wasn't time. Here, it was time, and it should have been part of the book.
The second half of the book was much, much better it has to be said, but by this point I think I'd already made the decision to see the book out to the end then stop reading the series. At this moment I don't see myself picking up the next one, the interest in the characters just isn't there.
3 Stars ★★★
July 4, 2011
I admit it took me a while to get this book, the second in the series, and I didn't have my copy of the first book anymore, so there were things that I forgot. So, that made it a little harder to get into. Although, some of the background and more was in this book too. So that was good.
I don't know. I kept reading and reading and not much was going on. I think because of the action from the end of the last book, it was kind of subdued in the beginning of this book. Mainly because there was recovery time, and that made it a little slow, but I didn't put it down because I do like this series and I like Kira and Khefar (hero and heroine). So, I kept full steam ahead and I'm glad I did. It started really getting good once they got to London and really got going when they reached Egypt.
I love reading about Egyptian history and mythology. And this book had a lot of it, because the hero and heroine has it in their lives, so it's all over the book, which I love. And it re-sparked my interest in the culture and history because I haven't been keeping up with it lately. Thanks, Seressia! :)
Kira and Khefar did the deed. It wasn't steamy hot or boring boring, kind of in the middle. I would have liked a little more in the scene, but that's okay, the book is more urban fantasy rather than paranormal romance.
I don't know how much is going to be said about their relationship now. Because Khefar's main goal is to save 64,000 lives for the 64,000 that he killed. And when he's done that, he'll be able to be with his wife and kids in the afterlife. He has one more life to save but now his relationship with Kira is developing. No mention of love but they are together because of the attraction and for comfort. We'll see how that goes.
I think the god Anansi/Nansee is so funny and glad he's around, as well as Kira's friends, Wynne and Zoo.
Kira has gotten more info about her past and it's some good stuff but like she said at the end more answers produce more questions. Can't wait to find out more.
Plus, she has some unfinished business with Shadowling, Marit who tortured and "killed" Khefar.
All in all, it was a good read and glad I finally got to read it. The third book, Shadow Fall is out and I'm hoping to buy that at the end of the week. We'll see.
I don't know. I kept reading and reading and not much was going on. I think because of the action from the end of the last book, it was kind of subdued in the beginning of this book. Mainly because there was recovery time, and that made it a little slow, but I didn't put it down because I do like this series and I like Kira and Khefar (hero and heroine). So, I kept full steam ahead and I'm glad I did. It started really getting good once they got to London and really got going when they reached Egypt.
I love reading about Egyptian history and mythology. And this book had a lot of it, because the hero and heroine has it in their lives, so it's all over the book, which I love. And it re-sparked my interest in the culture and history because I haven't been keeping up with it lately. Thanks, Seressia! :)
Kira and Khefar did the deed. It wasn't steamy hot or boring boring, kind of in the middle. I would have liked a little more in the scene, but that's okay, the book is more urban fantasy rather than paranormal romance.
I don't know how much is going to be said about their relationship now. Because Khefar's main goal is to save 64,000 lives for the 64,000 that he killed. And when he's done that, he'll be able to be with his wife and kids in the afterlife. He has one more life to save but now his relationship with Kira is developing. No mention of love but they are together because of the attraction and for comfort. We'll see how that goes.
I think the god Anansi/Nansee is so funny and glad he's around, as well as Kira's friends, Wynne and Zoo.
Kira has gotten more info about her past and it's some good stuff but like she said at the end more answers produce more questions. Can't wait to find out more.
Plus, she has some unfinished business with Shadowling, Marit who tortured and "killed" Khefar.
All in all, it was a good read and glad I finally got to read it. The third book, Shadow Fall is out and I'm hoping to buy that at the end of the week. We'll see.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2011
Kira is back – back from the dead, brought back by Khefar and is now the Hand of Ma'at. With new duties and a new role in life, Kira has much to handle – but first and foremost she has to deal with the death of her handler, mentor and father figure. Now the battle is won she has time to mourn and time to put his affects in order and scatter his ashes.
But under it all she worries about her shadow taint. She took on some of the shadow fighting the fallen and now it is a part of her. A devotee of Ma'at, she is painfully aware that her heart is no longer lighter than Ma'at's feather – as well as the harm she did to her friends and innocents while under the shadow's influence
She also has time to explore her relationship with Khefar, the immortal Hand of Isis and the only man she can touch without her powers harming or killing him. But what future is there between them when she has her shadow taint and Khefar is approaching the end of his curse?
Of course the world doesn't wait while Kira balances her life. A chaser has gone missing along with an artefact that could literally destroy the world in the wrong hands – or simply if it is not returned soon. Kira has little time to grieve when she has the world to rescue, ancient Egyptian artifacts to return, a flood that would cover the globe – and the shadow of Set himself rising on behalf of the Shadow.
I love this book – and I was surprised. I expected to like it after the first book, but I didn't expect it to get this much better. But, yes it was a huge step up of an already good start.
I love the world. I love the Egyptian deities – and way beyond the common ones known to many. There's a lot of research here and a lot of information. Beyond that,.t he world itself is wide and broad with many layers and nuances. As part of that this book has a lot of great world building (and hints of more to come). Admittedly, some of this is done in the form of lectures but it never gets dull or to the point of me starting to wanting to snark it. Nor is it ever unrealistic.
Read More
But under it all she worries about her shadow taint. She took on some of the shadow fighting the fallen and now it is a part of her. A devotee of Ma'at, she is painfully aware that her heart is no longer lighter than Ma'at's feather – as well as the harm she did to her friends and innocents while under the shadow's influence
She also has time to explore her relationship with Khefar, the immortal Hand of Isis and the only man she can touch without her powers harming or killing him. But what future is there between them when she has her shadow taint and Khefar is approaching the end of his curse?
Of course the world doesn't wait while Kira balances her life. A chaser has gone missing along with an artefact that could literally destroy the world in the wrong hands – or simply if it is not returned soon. Kira has little time to grieve when she has the world to rescue, ancient Egyptian artifacts to return, a flood that would cover the globe – and the shadow of Set himself rising on behalf of the Shadow.
I love this book – and I was surprised. I expected to like it after the first book, but I didn't expect it to get this much better. But, yes it was a huge step up of an already good start.
I love the world. I love the Egyptian deities – and way beyond the common ones known to many. There's a lot of research here and a lot of information. Beyond that,.t he world itself is wide and broad with many layers and nuances. As part of that this book has a lot of great world building (and hints of more to come). Admittedly, some of this is done in the form of lectures but it never gets dull or to the point of me starting to wanting to snark it. Nor is it ever unrealistic.
Read More
August 24, 2010
Shadow Chase by Seressia Glass
Urban Fantasy- July 28th, 2010
4 stars
This fast faced Urban thriller is sure to keep readers on their toes. The author starts the heroine in the thick of things and I would advise first time readers to check out the 1st book Shadow Blade to get up to speed.
The heroine, Kira Solomon has just recovered from a deadly battle that nearly killed her friends. And one where she almost died herself. She was only saved by the enigmatic and sexy Nubian Khefar. A man she desires but who keeps her at arms length. But before she can recover she is already assigned a new mission to find the Vessel of Nun. An object of power that unless returned will cause untold damage.
This book really explores Kira’s feelings. I liked how it delved into Kira’s thoughts of inadequacy and the need to prove herself. Because Kira has been tainted by shadow this reader could really feel how much she struggles to do the right thing. But I do have to admit all her constant insecurities did grate on me after a while.
I found the best part of the story were the fantastic secrets about Kira that are revealed. Especially why she was adopted by the powerful Balm. The author reveals details about Balm herself! Also the intriguing Khefar plays a prominent role in this book. He is the only one that Kira can actually touch without draining him of his life force. And his noble enigmatic personality plus super hot bod make him irresistible to Kira and me! This book was also special because Kira’s beloved mentor Bernie makes some unexpected cameos which were surprisingly heartfelt.
Fans of this series will have to get this book if only for the secrets it reveals about Kira’s past. I loved that it explores something other than vampires and shifters. The Egyptian lore the author combines gives it an exotic and alluring atmosphere that readers looking for something new in the Urban Fantasy genre will devour.
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Urban Fantasy- July 28th, 2010
4 stars
This fast faced Urban thriller is sure to keep readers on their toes. The author starts the heroine in the thick of things and I would advise first time readers to check out the 1st book Shadow Blade to get up to speed.
The heroine, Kira Solomon has just recovered from a deadly battle that nearly killed her friends. And one where she almost died herself. She was only saved by the enigmatic and sexy Nubian Khefar. A man she desires but who keeps her at arms length. But before she can recover she is already assigned a new mission to find the Vessel of Nun. An object of power that unless returned will cause untold damage.
This book really explores Kira’s feelings. I liked how it delved into Kira’s thoughts of inadequacy and the need to prove herself. Because Kira has been tainted by shadow this reader could really feel how much she struggles to do the right thing. But I do have to admit all her constant insecurities did grate on me after a while.
I found the best part of the story were the fantastic secrets about Kira that are revealed. Especially why she was adopted by the powerful Balm. The author reveals details about Balm herself! Also the intriguing Khefar plays a prominent role in this book. He is the only one that Kira can actually touch without draining him of his life force. And his noble enigmatic personality plus super hot bod make him irresistible to Kira and me! This book was also special because Kira’s beloved mentor Bernie makes some unexpected cameos which were surprisingly heartfelt.
Fans of this series will have to get this book if only for the secrets it reveals about Kira’s past. I loved that it explores something other than vampires and shifters. The Egyptian lore the author combines gives it an exotic and alluring atmosphere that readers looking for something new in the Urban Fantasy genre will devour.
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
March 17, 2014
I'm sad to say that this series turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment because i really loved the Egyptian mythology and the detail in the story. Also the main heroin Kira is BAD-ASS! so really she is what kept me reading in this book, but honestly after this book i really didn't want to read the next one...
Especially because of the romance element between Kefhar and Kira...it has to be one of the weirdest scenarioes...He is a near-immortal-warrior who is doing all this life-saving to get back to his wife & kids in the afterlife....and he is the only man Kira can touch without killing because of her abilities...and they becomes 'lovers'...yet he still intends to get back to his family eventually...he can't truly ever love her and i think by the looks of it that is where the author is heading the relationship...but its so slow it's become really boring reading about the two...they have a physical relationship because they can, not because of true feelings that they want to admit to each other...there is so much wrong with it i can't even get it all out...just FREAKIN ANNOYING...i tried to stick with it...nearly started the next book...but then i was like 'whats the point it's gonna be more of the same....
Especially because of the romance element between Kefhar and Kira...it has to be one of the weirdest scenarioes...He is a near-immortal-warrior who is doing all this life-saving to get back to his wife & kids in the afterlife....and he is the only man Kira can touch without killing because of her abilities...and they becomes 'lovers'...yet he still intends to get back to his family eventually...he can't truly ever love her and i think by the looks of it that is where the author is heading the relationship...but its so slow it's become really boring reading about the two...they have a physical relationship because they can, not because of true feelings that they want to admit to each other...there is so much wrong with it i can't even get it all out...just FREAKIN ANNOYING...i tried to stick with it...nearly started the next book...but then i was like 'whats the point it's gonna be more of the same....
October 27, 2023
Following dramatic and life-changing events from the previous book, Shadow Blade, Kira travels to London to settle the affairs of a lost loved one while fighting an increasing and unwanted connection to Shadow. But there's something rotten in Gilead London HQ and Kira quickly gets designated to investigate. Along for the ride is the snarky (near)immortal Nubian warrior Khefar, now her lover. They quickly discover a plot to steal a valuable Egyptian artifact that could bring about the end of the world.
In the process, Kira learns some wild backstory about Khefar, her long-lost mother, her foster mother Balm, and Gilead itself. That and the aforesaid events from the previous book shake her to her core. Will Kira be able to stay in the Light? After a shocking trip to an alternate-world Egypt, does she even want to? And will she be able to save the world from being drowned by Shadow?
This book follows up on Book One with a lot of answers to questions raised in Shadow Blade. Kira is rapidly changing and even she doesn't know what that means. This, of course, raises even more questions, but the answers we do get are pretty satisfying and left me wanting more.
In the process, Kira learns some wild backstory about Khefar, her long-lost mother, her foster mother Balm, and Gilead itself. That and the aforesaid events from the previous book shake her to her core. Will Kira be able to stay in the Light? After a shocking trip to an alternate-world Egypt, does she even want to? And will she be able to save the world from being drowned by Shadow?
This book follows up on Book One with a lot of answers to questions raised in Shadow Blade. Kira is rapidly changing and even she doesn't know what that means. This, of course, raises even more questions, but the answers we do get are pretty satisfying and left me wanting more.
October 19, 2012
I enjoyed the first book in this series quite a bit, but had a hard time with this one. The first 100 or so pages are filled with introspection and grieving (and some info-dumping about what happened in the previous book, but that wasn't too bad). While I think those elements were important, the overall story would have benefited from having those parts mixed in with the action a bit more; the pacing just dragged.
The second half had a lot more action and the pace was a lot faster, but by then I had already given up emotionally, so it didn't have much impact. Also, while the relationship between Kira and Khefar progresses in this book -- and I'm fine with a romance building slowly throughout a series, but... it was kind of flat. I was actually a lot more intrigued by the little we saw of Demoz and his Light-touched assistant (I'd love to know more about that relationship!). At this point, I'm kind of conflicted about whether or not I want to pick up book 3.
The second half had a lot more action and the pace was a lot faster, but by then I had already given up emotionally, so it didn't have much impact. Also, while the relationship between Kira and Khefar progresses in this book -- and I'm fine with a romance building slowly throughout a series, but... it was kind of flat. I was actually a lot more intrigued by the little we saw of Demoz and his Light-touched assistant (I'd love to know more about that relationship!). At this point, I'm kind of conflicted about whether or not I want to pick up book 3.
November 13, 2016
I'm not nearly as impressed with this addition to the series as I was with book 1. The issues I mentioned in my review of book 1 are present to a greater degree along with a few new ones that make it less polished and more a step backwards. Repetitions and over explaining abound, and the slower, seemingly disconnected plot is making it much harder to maintain my interest. I'm hoping it will improve soon, or I'll more than likely file it under couldn't finish and move on. Even if I do finish, at this point it would need a spectacular ending to entice me into reading the next book.
Halfway through and I gave up. Too much repetition (sometimes on the same page) and it felt too dumbed down. Interesting characters, possibly a good story, but the execution was poor, distracting, and in the end too frustrating to keep trying to plow through.
Halfway through and I gave up. Too much repetition (sometimes on the same page) and it felt too dumbed down. Interesting characters, possibly a good story, but the execution was poor, distracting, and in the end too frustrating to keep trying to plow through.
January 6, 2014
Not quite as good in my opinion as the first, but still fun.
We find out more about Kira, about her relationship with Balm. As I suspected we find out more about the Solomon family. And man do I dislike what we find out. Ditto the elaborated history of Kira's birth.
The battle between light and shadow seemed to take almost a backseat to the questions raised in the early part of the book. The world threatening problem seemed far more easily solved. And then there's the whole "they love each other but won't say so" bit. Still, an engaging read
We find out more about Kira, about her relationship with Balm. As I suspected we find out more about the Solomon family. And man do I dislike what we find out. Ditto the elaborated history of Kira's birth.
The battle between light and shadow seemed to take almost a backseat to the questions raised in the early part of the book. The world threatening problem seemed far more easily solved. And then there's the whole "they love each other but won't say so" bit. Still, an engaging read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews